The Homesteading Carnival - All Around The House Edition

Welcome to the March 30, 2009 edition of The Homesteading Carnival.

I thought it might be nice to present this edition of The Homesteading Carnival as it pertains to the different rooms and areas in and around our house. So here goes the All Around The House Edition of The Homesteading Carnival:

From the Kitchen:

Linda Mundy presents Ginger Orange Cookies posted at LJM's Kitchen, saying, "These cookies are easy to make, and you may find them addictive!"

Rani presents Danish Sugar Cookies posted at Indoor Garden Musings, saying, "Enjoy!!"

Alex presents The Ultimate White Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, "This white chocolate chip cookie recipe is perfect for those times when you need the gorgeous taste of chocolate."

Amanda Schoolfield presents Countertop Compost Bucket posted at Better Is Little.

From the Bathroom:

Aparna presents Lemon as a beauty aid posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, "The diminutive lemon is a very versatile beauty-aid and this cheap and golden-coloured fruit has excellent properties for enhancing your looks. Simple lemon-based preparations, you can mix in your own kitchen, will surely bring a dramatic transformation in your beauty regimen."

Aparna presents Fragrant fennel – Uses posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, "Fennel seeds are a common sight in the Indian kitchen. Their aroma is breathtaking. Though both aniseed and fennel are called saunf in ‘Hindi’, fennel is somewhat larger than aniseed. Commonly used for seasoning and garnishing in Indian cuisines, this seed has other uses as well."

From the Bedroom:

The Smarter Wallet presents Organize Your Home With These Space Saving Ideas posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, "Thanks!"

From the Garden:

Tony Clifton presents How To Build A Shed - How To Build A Shed Door posted at How To Build A Shed, saying, "Visual guide!"

Lara DeHaven presents It's Garden Time Again! posted at Texas Homesteader.

Thomas W presents How To Build A Bumble Bee Nest posted at Happy Farming.

Stephanie presents painted pots posted at Make It From Scratch, saying, "pretty plastic pots by Fiona."

Stephanie presents The Great Potato Experiment Year Two posted at Stop the Ride!

Nancy Muller presents Gardeners: What To Plant Now -- Very Comprehensive posted at Recession Depression Therapy, saying, "Am I the only one that still struggles to figure out if I'm planting at the optimum time? Thank goodness for this resource."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the homesteading carnival thc using our carnival submission form. The next carnival will be hosted by Rose at Grandma Rosie's Texas Home.

Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.

Technorati tags: the homesteading carnival thc, blog carnival.

Fantastic Rock & Worship Roadshow Concert!

Last night my friend and I took our kids to see the Rock & Worship Roadshow concert with MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson, Tenth Avenue North and Addison Road all for only $10!!! It was absolutely fantastic! I am so impressed with MercyMe's vision to bring this corporate worship experience to large masses of people for a very reasonable cost. They have put together 5 bands that all have a real heart for worship and all of them were really great and focused on Jesus rather than putting on a show. But the show was really great, too!!

I haven't been to a concert in a very long time, but this was really great! If you have the opportunity to go to this concert in your city, I highly recommend it! There were over 12,000 people there in Phoenix and it is coming to many cities around the country over the next month or so. Check out their website and spread the word! It is a concert that is REALLY worth the cost!!

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

There are some great deals this week at several different grocery stores, so check them out and make the most of your dollars this week!

Albertsons:
Gallon Milk $1.57
General Mills, Betty Crocker or Pillsbury Snack & Breakfast Items $1.88
Ground Sirloin $1.98/lb
New York Steaks $3.88/lb
Seedless Green Grapes $0.68/lb
Mini Carrots 1 lb $0.88
Tilapia Fillets $2.88/lb
PictSweet Vegetables or Banquet Value Meals $0.88
Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce $0.88
Frozen Waffles, Orange Cream, Chocolate Fudge Bars $0.88
Butter 8 oz. $0.88
Pillsbury Golden Layer Biscuits $0.88
Bar S Jumbo Franks (I feed these to my dogs:-) $0.88
Farmland Roll Sausage $0.88
Glade Air Freshener or Sunlight Dish Detergent $0.88

Basha's:
Split Chicken Breasts $0.77/lb (first 2)
Slicing Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Hass Avocados $0.77 each
Russet Potatoes 4 lb bag $0.77
Milk $1.49 gallon
Suave Shampoo or Condition $0.77 15 oz.
General Mills or Food Club Cereal $1.77

Food City:
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.49/lb in 10 lb. bag
5 lb. bag of Potatoes $0.99
Granny Smith or Fuji Apples 2 lbs. for $1.00
73% lean ground beef $1.49/lb
Maruchan Ramen Noodle Cups 4/$1.00
Jumex Fruit Nectar 3/$1.00
5 lb bag of Long Grain Rice $2.99
4 lb bag of Pinto Beans $2.99
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Cilantro or Green Onions 4 for $1.00


Fresh & Easy:
Coke or Diet Coke $0.88
10.5 oz. Grape Tomatoes $0.98
Bi-colored Bell Peppers 2 count $0.98
Cucumbers 2/$0.98

Fry's:
Fresh Whole Chicken $0.57/lb
D'Anjou or Bosc Pears $0.88/lb
Gala, Red or Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith Apples $0.88/lb
Milk $1.47/gallon
Green seedless grapes $0.77/lb
Cantaloupe & Honeydew $0.59/lb

Safeway:
Beef Chuck 7-Bone Steak $1.59/lb
Strawberries 2 lb for $2.88
Mix & Match Event $5.00 of if you buy any 10 participating items - some great deals including:
Angel Soft Toilet Tissue 4 rolls for $0.75
Hall's Naturals $0.75
Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce $0.75
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce $0.75
and more.....

Sprouts:
Mammoth Chipotle Cheddar $3.77/lb (this sounds good!)
Strawberries 4-1 lb clamshells for $5.00
Bell Peppers (all colors) $0.88 each
Golden or Red Delicious Apples $0.49/lb
Red, Bosc, Bartlett & D'Anjou Pears $0.88
Vine Ripe Tomatoes $0.88
Granny Smith & Fuji Apples $0.88
Walnut Halves & Pieces $3.99/lb
Muenster Cheese $2.99/lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99/lb

Check out Party City for some great Easter Sale stuff under $1.00! And if you spend $25 or more, there is a $5.00 off coupon in the ad.

And don't forget 99 cent store for produce and many other great bargains!

Happy Shopping!

Bunco Fun!

On Monday, we had our first Bunco Party! It was very much fun even though we ended up two players short - we just used two "Bunco Babies" (stuffed animals) and worked around it. The theme was Spring is Springing Up All Over and I made "springtime" desserts like miniature key lime pies, fruit topped cheese cakes and lemon cookies. I also made Dirt Cake, complete with worms and flowers.

I picked a bunch of different flowers out of my backyard (I was surprised how many there were!) and bought 2 4" annuals at Lowe's for prizes.

Do you play Bunco? If so, what are some fun ideas you could share with me for upcoming Bunco Parties?

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

Well, it looks like there are some great deals this week, so start shopping!

Albertson's:
London Broil $1.88/lb
Milk 2 gallons for $3.00
Broccoli $0.77/lb
Strawberries 4 lb for $4.77
Post Cereal 2 for $3.00

Basha's:
Whole Chickens $0.67/lb
Green Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb
Dole Salad Blends Buy 1 Get 1 free
Barilla Pasta 10 for $10
Butter 2 for $3.00
Honey Mandarin Tangerines $0.69/lb

Food City:
Boneless Top Sirloin Steak $1.99/lb
Green Seedless Grapes $0.99/lb
Tangerines 2 lbs for $1.00
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Cucumbers 3 for $0.99
Red Delicious Apples $0.69/lb
Strawberries 2 lbs/$3.00

Fresh & Easy:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.77/lb
Milk $1.57/gallon
Kellogg's Cereal $1.99
Idaho Russet Potatoes 8 lbs for $1.98
Red Seedless Grapes $0.98/lb
Napkins 180 count $0.99
Orange Juice 64 oz. $1.99

Fry's:
93% lean ground beef $1.88/lb (2 lb chubs first 4)
Strawberries 4 lbs for $4.77
Eggs $0.88 dozen
10 Item Mega Event = lots of good deals in this mix n match deal!
Buy 10 tiems, save $5.00!!
Mangos $0.77 each

Safeway:
93% Lean Ground Beef $1.99/lb
Fuji Apples $0.88/lb
Lucerne shredded or chunk cheese 32 oz. $4.99
Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.99
Cantaloups 2 for $1.00
Mix N Match Sale - $5.00 off when you buy any 10 items.

Smart & Final:
3 lb bag of Granny Smith $0.99
3 lb Ready Pac Garden Salad $1.50
2 lb. Shredded Cheese $4.99

Sprouts:
Braeburn Apples $0.49/lb
Navel Oranges $0.19/lb GREAT DEAL!!!
Vine Ripe Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Red & Golden Delicious Apples $0.77/lb
Broccoli Crowns $0.77/lb
Roasted Almonds $3.99/lb
Rump Roast $1.99/lb

That's the best of what I could find - hope you find some great deals this week and stock up your pantry and freezer!

Happy grocery shopping!

Weekly Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

Sorry for missing this post last week! The sales ads came very late that day and I just missed it! So I am going to highlight this weeks ads for you and get right back on schedule.

Albertsons:

Country Style Pork Ribs $1.00/lb
Sanderson Farms Drums, thighs, legs or whole chickens $1.00/lb
Skippy Peanut Butter 15-16oz. $1.00
Good Day (1/2 gallon) or Blue Bell (pint) Ice Cream $1.00
Orange Cream of Chocolate Fudge Bars $1.00 6 ct
Cheez-It or Poore Brothers Chips $1.00
Wishbone Salad Dressing or Fresh Express Garden Salad $1.00
General Mills buy 4 items, get $4 off ($1.50 each)
Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts $1.67/lb
Huggies Diapers Jumbo Pack $6.99 (use $5 coupon and get for $1.99)

Bashas:
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.39/lb (10 lb bag $3.90)
Corned Beef Brisket (point cut) $1.27/lb
Tomatoes $0.88/lb
Strawberries 2 lb for $2.48
Milk $1.57 gal
Kellogg's Cereal, buy 3, get 3 free = $2.00 each (with coupon in ad)
Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits or Sweet Rolls 10 for $10 (use coupons to get even cheaper)
Green Cabbage $0.25/lb

Food City:
Bone-In Country Style Ribs $0.89/lb
Green Chiles 2 lbs/$1.00
Boneless Beef Cross Rib Steak $1.79/lb
Strawberries 2 lbs. for $3.00
Radishes or Green Onions 3 for $0.99
Kellogg's Cereal, buy 4 for $10, get $3.00 off w/coupon in ad=$1.75 per box
Cilantro 4 bunches for $1.00
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Carrots 3 lbs/$1.00
Gala Apples $0.79/lb

Fry's:
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.67/lb
Corned Beef Brisket Point Cut $1.27/lb
Cabbage 3 lbs/$0.99
10 Item Mega event, $5.00 off 10 items (some good buys)

Safeway:
Green Cabbage 4 lbs/$1.00
Corned Beef Brisket Point Cut $1.29/lb
With $10 minimum purchase, there are some great in-ad coupons:
Smithfield Bacon $1.99
String Cheese $1.99
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars $0.99
Kraft Mac n Cheese $0.49
Peter Pan Peanut Butter $0.99
Lucerne Large Eggs $0.97
Tropicana Pure Premium OJ $1.97 1/2 gal.

Sat. & Sun ONLY:
Ritz Crackers $1.88
Doritos Tortilla Chips $1.59
Green Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb

Sprouts:
Cantaloupes $0.99/each
Hass Avocados $0.77 each
Red Potatoes $0.88/lb
Roma Tomatoes $0.77/lb
Celery $0.88/each
Red Delicious Apples $0.49/lb
Cucumbers 2/$1.00
Navel Oranges $0.69/lb
Whole Cashews $4.99/lb
Jarlsberg Swiss $4.99/lb
Provolone Cheese bulk cut $2.99/lb

Don't forget the 99cent store for red potatoes and carrots for your St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef dinner!

Go to coupons.com to get some great coupons this week! It is free and easy, so don't miss out. You can print each coupon 2 times on each computer (so if you have access to more than one, you can get more).

Just to let you know, especially for those expecting babies soon, you can get 2 jumbo packages of Huggies diapers and a large pkg of wipes for just over $1.00 total at Walgreen's this week, combined with the $5.00 off coupons from coupons.com!! I did it yesterday successfully and will try again today (got some more coupons) if I can find a Walgreens with any diapers left:-)

Have a great shopping week! And don't wait too long for the specials since some of them are "while supplies last".

Mocha Cappuccino - Decadently Delicious!

My new friend (don't you love making new friends?) brought me a bottle of this Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappuccino last week and, oh my goodness, is it good! I didn't try it until the next morning, but then I thought I had slipped into some kind of heaven! It is so smooth and delicious, I can't even adequately describe it!

We had been joking the weekend before about Bailey's when we were helping some friends move. I would probably not drink it anyway because it has alcohol, but we were getting kind of slap-happy and goofy, so it seemed funny at the time. Well, she brought me this Mocha Cappuccino because she thought it tasted even better than Baileys - so smooth and not too sweet! And the only sweetener in it is........you're not going to believe this.........apple juice! Yes, in a coffee drink! I thought it was really strange, too, but so delicious! And no sugar or sweetener - how could it be any better? Well, listen to this:

Why you should feel good about drinking Perfectly Protein Mocha Cappuccino: Excellent source of 7 Vitamins and Minerals. Good source of Potassium and Iron. Packed with 10g of Whey Protein per 8oz serving. Contains 18 Amino Acids Low fat ~ All Natural ~ No Added Sugars ~ No Preservatives Contains 60mg of caffeine per 8oz serving.(One cup of brewed coffee ˜ 115mg) No preservatives and nothing artificial Flash pasteurized and cold clean room filled to preserve taste and provide superior nutrition.
Potassium 19% Vitamin C 150% Calcium 40% Iron 12% Vitamin B6 170% Vitamin B12 450% Magnesium 40% Zinc 30% Vitamin D 40%

I know, now you want to know where to buy it, right? And just how expensive is it? Well, you can find it several places like Sprouts, Albertson's, Whole Foods and sometimes even WalMart. It can be expensive, but you can find it for between $3 and $4 most times for a liter. If you savor it and only drink a little each day, that can last for a whole week or more:-) I am going to keep my eyes open for coupons and I will let you know if I find and specials on this. Try it, I bet you will like it!

And thanks, Charlene, for introducing me to this wonderful treat! This is what "works for me" on this Wednesday - for more ideas and tips, visit Works-For-Me-Wednesday hosted over at We Are THAT Family!

Baking: Italian Bread and Cinnamon Rolls

Over the past week, I have made several new "bread" items that I wanted to share since they turned out Great! I apologize that I failed to take photos of the process or finished products! I was busy and it slipped my mind:-)

First, last Saturday night/Sunday morning, I made Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. I saw this on an episode of Good Eats and was inspired! I followed his directions completely, except for using freshly ground whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose.

The result was scrumptiously light and wonderful cinnamon rolls! I was concerned because mine didn't seem to rise as much as his did, but that didn't matter in the tasting. However, I believe next time I will increase the yeast to 3 tsp. to see if that makes a difference, and I will start earlier on Saturday so I can let it rise longer, too. Also, the morning "sauna" definitely makes a big difference, so don't skip that step, even though it makes the time about 1 hour from start to finish in the morning.

Then, on Friday, I made 10 loaves of Crusty Whole Wheat Italian Bread for our church dinner on Sunday. I have never made Italian Bread before, so this was rather brave (or foolish:-). But they turned out great! I quadrupled the recipe (I can make 4 loaves in my mixer at a time) and then made 2 1/2 batches. I followed the ingredients exactly and the only things I did different were because I forgot: I didn't make the slashes across each loaf with a sharp knife and I forgot to brush with water and sprinkle with whole wheat flour before baking. But they came out great, so it must not be too important. Then on Sunday, we spread each loaf with whipped garlic butter (homemade, of course) and baked in foil for 20 minutes at 425 degrees! They got rave reviews and even a few new orders for bread!

Try these recipes and let me know how they are for you! I can't wait to make more! And for more great Kitchen Tips, visit The Finer Things in Life where Amy is hosting Kitchen Tip Tuesday for Tammys Recipes.
You can also find more recipes and kitchen tips at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed With Grace, and Tasty Tuesday at Forever, Wherever!

Popcorn Cereal - not a hit at our house

This morning my daughter tried the popcorn cereal idea, and it wasn't so great. The popcorn immediately gets soggy and she doesn't like soggy cereal:-) At first we thought it was because the popcorn was still a little warm, so she waited until it was cool. But popcorn and liquids make for sogginess, so I guess this just won't be a great hit in our house.

Have any of you ever eaten Popcorn Cereal? Let me know and if there is anything we are doing wrong.

Popcorn Cereal? A New One For Me!

Have you ever heard of popcorn for breakfast? I was reading this today and just had to share - I am sure this will be a favorite of my daughter! Tammy over at Tammy's Recipes (whose blog I love to read daily) shared how she grew up eating Popcorn Cereal and has introduced her children to it now, too! She just puts a couple cups of air-popped popcorn into a cereal bowl, sprinkle with sugar or whatever sweetener you prefer, and pour milk over. And eat with a spoon as cereal. How does that sound to you? I am going to make it for my daughter tomorrow morning. I will let you know how she likes it!

All About Homophones

There are several things that make teaching the English language so difficult. One is that there are so many words that break the rules. Another is that we have many homophones, that is words that sound the same but are spelled differently, and of course have different meanings. Alot of spelling can be taught by learning rules, but homophones are one of those things that just have to be memorized. Well, in our house, we try to avoid tedious memorization and save it for things like Bible passages.

All About Homophones, by the folks who created All About Spelling, is an incredible tool kit to help your students learn and remember their homophones. In a very fun and engaging way, they present homophones through worksheets and activities so that your kids will remember them when they are writing. This is available as either an ebook ($27.95) or a printed book ($29.95). This product contains worksheets for 1st grade through 8th grade, introducing different homophones at the appropriate grade levels. It includes graphic organizers for better visual understanding, 101 homophone worksheets that your student will actually enjoying completing, and they will learn about homophones while playing classic card games like Snap! and Pig, crossword puzzles, riddles, tongue twisters and more.

If homophones are a challenge to your student (and most kids are challenged by these mystifying rule-breakers), consider purchasing either the ebook or the printed book to give your student the edge they will need to fully comprehend homophones. You won't be disappointed!

Science for High School - a novel approach!

I was very excited to receive Science for High School since my kiddos are rapidly approaching those high school years and I hadn't yet determined what science curriculum to use. I first received Bridget Ardoin's Physical Science program and was very intrigued by the fact that it is NOT a textbook approach at all. High School Physical Science in the Home is a guide that the student follows to discover everything he needs to know that encompasses high school physical science.

This curriculum is written by Bridget Ardoin who is a homeschooling mom to 5 children and has over 12 years of experience homeschooling. She also has a degree in microbiology from Louisiana State University. She has spent many years helping homeschooling parents teach biology to their children in their homes. This curriculum is an accumulation of those years of experience where she focused on putting together a quality high school science curriculum with a user-friendly approach for the teacher. She offers Biology and Chemistry, as well as Physical Science.

The Student Manual contains a list of questions for each week of study. The students spends four days researching the answers to these questions, using any resources available including the library, internet and other science books. Then on the fifth day, the student reviews the answers they obtained with the teacher/parent to ensure that they covered the necessary material in their research. There is also a lab for each week in order to give a hands-on experience tied in with the material they have been researching that week.

The Parent Manual contains all the information that the parent needs to help the student, including the information that the student should have discovered in their research. Detailed explanations of the labs are also included, as well as quizzes and end-of-semester exams (and their answers).

You can also purchase the Physical Science Lab Kit which contains the harder to find items in order to make your homeschooling experience more enjoyable.

I really like this approach to science because I am a very untraditional homeschooler and really avoid textbooks. I have been planning to use unit studies for my kids for their highschool years, but you have to supplement the curriculum with science programs as they are encountered in the unit study. I feel that this Science for High School curriculum will work very well and will encourage my children to really dig deep to find the answers and learn all about science in a way they wouldn't if we used another more traditional method. By researching, especially on the internet, they can find many more interesting things than if it is fed to them in a textbook. We find this all the time in our current unit studies and I am excited to find a curriculum that will continue to encourage their curiosity and love of learning!

I have already shared about this curriculum with many of my friends who already have high school students and several have purchased it and are using it already. I have received very good reviews and comments about how their children are responding to the curriculum and learning their own time management skills, as well as how to really research materials on the internet and in the library.

Bridget has sample pages on her website so you can get a feel for the actual layout of the curriculum. The High School Physical Science in Your Home is $79.99 (which includes the Student Manual and Parent Manual) or you can purchase the whole kit which includes items you need for your experiments for $110.00. If you are looking for something different than the traditional textbook approach to High School Science, or want something that your children will really learn and retain as they study Physical Science, I would like to encourage you to take a look at Bridget Ardoin's Science for High School. This may be just what you need to get your child to really dig into their high school science!

Critical Thinking...a Very Important Life Skill

As I was doing some research in order to be able to write this post, I came across the definition of Critical Thinking and one phrase caught my attention: Expressed most generally, critical thinking is “a way of taking up the problems of life.

Wow, what an important thing critical thinking can be to our lives! And very often, this is a neglected area of "study" for our children. As I was perusing "Building Thinking Skills, Level 3 Verbal", from The Critical Thinking Co., I came to realize what a large percentage of standardized testing is really critical thinking. I was an excellent student, but very bored. I am also an incredible test-taker - not because I am so smart and know so much, but because I am a very good critical thinker. I can look at several answers to a question I don't know and eliminate those that could not possibly be the correct answer, thus narrowing down the problem to find the correct answer. And all without knowing the process to find the correct answer!

Critical thinking is also very important for us and our children to be able to encounter all the fallacies in the world and be able to discern what is truth and what is fiction. It includes logic as well as intellect, analyzing options and much, much more. Through The Critical Thinking Co. products, you will be able to provide your children (and yourself) with a fun way to increase their critical thinking skills. These books are so much fun that you don't even have to tell them it is school work! Just give them some pages to try and see if they don't ask for more.

So, back to the actual book that I had the opportunity to use and review for you - Building Thinking Skills, Level 3 Verbal. This book covered many different types of verbal thinking skills, including Verbal Similarities and Differences (like antonyms and synonyms), Verbal Sequences (including following directions, maps, flowcharting), Verbal Classifications (like diagramming, sorting, classes) and Verbal Analogies. I let me daughter try many different types of these worksheets and she had a great time! She is actually younger that this was intended for, but actually did quite well. I also enjoyed them very much and had a hard time putting the book down long enough to write about it. This is the kind of book that you can just leave laying out for your children to use in their free time. They don't have to have it assigned really, they will want to do it. And you can work on these together and discuss the problems presented, which will help broaden their thinking skills even more.

This was my first introduction to this company and their critical thinking skills products. I am hoping to be able to try out more of their products with my children, because I think that critical thinking is absolutely CRITICAL (excuse the pun) to being successful in life! Every profession requires critical thinking skills and in order to be strong in your beliefs, you must have strong critical thinking skills. I believe that if we educate our children to the best of our ability and equip them with strong critical thinking skills, they will be successful in whatever God calls them to do and we will have fulfilled our calling as their educators at home.

This book has 350 pages of worksheets for only $29.99! And they have many other products available for all grade levels. They also have Building Thinking Skills, Figural which would help with math. They have What Would You Do? books that give children the opportunity to apply their moral values to real-life moral dilemmas. What great discussions this could inspire!

There are so many different products at The Critical Thinking Co. that I can't possibly cover them all, but I would greatly encourage you to stop by their website and check it out. There are so many different types of products that you could use to enhance your homeschooling and increase your child's critical thinking skills.

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

I just received the sales ads and there are some good deals this week. Look for good deals on fish over the next month or so (due to Lent).

Albertsons:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast $1.67/lb
3 lb bag of Clementine Tangerines 2 for $5.00
Milk $1.57/gal.
Kellogg's Cereal or Pop-Tarts 3 for $5.00
Frozen Food Sale 10-50% off (I don't know if these are good prices since I never buy them:-)

Basha's:
They have some $1.00 off coupons in their ad that may be good value (especially if you can combine with some other coupons you have).
Assorted Pork Chops - value pack $0.88/lb
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Buy 1, Get 2 FREE
Asparagus $0.97/lb
Russet Potatoes $0.97/4 lb bag
Milk $1.57/gal.
General Mills Cereal or Granola Bars $1.50 each with coupon and buy 4 (combine with another coupon for a really great deal!)
Starkist Chunk Light Tuna $0.59
Butter $1.99/lb
Half and Half 32 oz. $1.99
Duncan Hines Brownie Mix 2/$3.00
Flour 5 lb bag 2/$3.00
Sugar 4 lb bag 2/$3.00

Food City:
Tilapia Fillets $1.99/lb
X-Large Eggs - 20 count $1.88
Lentils 1 lb bag 2/$1.00
Sour Cream 16 oz. $0.99
Navel Oranges or Tangerines $0.59/lb
Cilantro 4/$1.00
Lemons 2 lbs./$1.00
Green Cabbage 3 lbs./$0.99
Radishes or Green Onions 3/$0.99

Fresh & Easy:
Whole Frying Chicken (limit 4) $0.67/lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast $1.99/lb

Fry's:
Great $1.00 deals this week!!!
6-8 oz Cheese (shredded or bar) $1.00
Pineapples (first 4) $1.00
Fresh Mangoes $1.00
Hot Cocoa Mix $1.00
Angel soft Bath Tissue 4 rolls $1.00
Sunny D Punch 64 oz. $1.00
Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream or Dip 16 oz $1.00
Kleenex Tissue 110 ct. $1.00
Honeysuckle Turkey Breast bone-in frozen (2) $1.00/lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast $1.97/lb
Chicken of the Sea Tuna 2/$1.00
Yoplait Yogurt 2/$1.00
Kellogg's Cereal 2/$5.00

Safeway:
Clementines 5 lb box $3.88
With $10 purchase:
Free 2-liter Pepsi or Lucerne Butter $0.99/lb or Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats $0.99
48 hour Sale Saturday and Sunday:
Fuji Apples $0.98/lb
Select Harvest Soup $0.88
Lucerne Large Eggs $0.97/dozen (limit 2)
$10 off $50 purchase coupon good 2/25-2/28
10 items for $10 mix and match (some good buys here)
Frozen Food - spend $25 and get $10 reward coupon (some good buys)

Sprouts:
Cantaloupes $0.99/each
Roma Tomatoes $0.67/lb
Red Seedless Grapes $0.99/lb
Red, Green or Romaine Lettuce $0.88
Broccoli or Cauliflower $0.88/lb
Hass Avocados $0.88/each
Monterrey Jack Cheese $1.99/lb
(we have been LOVING these cheese specials each week!!!!)
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.88/lb
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Rolled Oats in bulk 2 lbs/$1.00 (GREAT PRICE!!)

I am sure there are more good deals, but these are the ones that caught my eye! If you can take a few minutes to peruse the ads before you go shopping, you will find yourself saving a bundle!!

Have a wonderful shopping trip this week!

Deeper Roots Bible Curriculum for Middle School

I have recommended and used several different devotionals for short term missions from Deeper Root Publications in the past and knew that they had great products. I have been interested in their homeschool Bible Curriculum for quite a while, but was hesitant to purchase since I didn't know if it would be a good fit for our style of homeschooling. So when presented with the opportunity to review their Middle School Bible Curriculum, I was very excited to receive this and try it out!

First I would like to give you a little information about Deeper Roots Publications. Howard and Bonnie Lisech have spent time on the foreign mission field, as well as much time training and working with short term missions teams. Deeper Roots Publications grew out of their heart to provide material to help those preparing for the mission field, but even more importantly, deal with the issues of returning to their own culture. Having just returned to the U.S. after almost 6 years in Mexico, I can certainly relate to the need they are addressing. Having also homeschooled several of their children, they saw the need for a good, Biblically-based Bible curriculum.

After having the opportunity to use and review "Discovering Who I Am In Christ" which is for 7th - 9th grades, I am very impressed with the quality of this curriculum. And I very much appreciate the missions-mindedness that is incorporated in all of their products. This curriculum is laid out for ease of use for both the teacher and the student. The Middle School curriculum consists of four different volumes/studies in the Discovery Series. They are Discovering Our Amazing God, Discovering Who I Am In Christ, Discovering Christlike Habits, and Discovering a Christlike Character. There is a Teacher's Guide ($28.95) for each, which provides all the instructions, ideas and information that you, as teacher, will need to use this curriculum. The Student Workbook ($19.95) provides the lesson, memory verses, questions with space to write their answers, as well as Reflections pages for the student to write their thoughts and notes. Each section contains information about unreached people groups and prayer focus. It has engaging artwork, maps, photos, etc. which make the pages fun to look at and interesting. If you have a student that is still not comfortable with alot of writing, you can answer the questions orally and work through this together. It is a great foundational Bible study that would benefit every family.

They also have Bible curriculum for younger children called "Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ Children's Edition" which follows a chronological study of the Bible. It includes maps, a timeline and posters to make it more appealling to children.

Their high school Bible curriculum, "Rooted and Grounded (A Guide for Spiritual Growth)", is a one-year senior high course that helps students move from Biblical knowledge to spiritual application of these truths and concepts. The Teacher's Guide is $39.50 and the Student Workbook is $23.95. There is also a Unit Tests and Answers booklet for $3.95.

And if you are planning now or in the future to take a short-term missions trip, please consider using their short-term missions devotionals. They have Pre-Field, On-Field and Reentry resources and devotionals. We have recommended them for our interns when they came and stayed with us and I believe this truly helped them to make the most of their time with us as well as "re-enter" their life in the U.S. with less stress and culture shock.

Deeper Roots Publications offers free samples of their curriculum, so please don't hesitate to try them out and see if their products would meet the need in your homeschool family. If you would like to have a missions emphasis in your home, these products will be a great help with this and provide many opportunities to discuss missions and unreached people groups as you and your children study together.

Best Grocery Deals in Phoenix Area

I am going to start a new weekly column here that will highlight what I find to be the best grocery deals for the week in the Phoenix area. Some of them may also apply to those living in other areas of the country (if you have the same grocery store), but mostly they are for those local to this area. The reason I have decided to do this is that I have a number of friends who I send out a weekly email on Wednesdays to with this information, and I figured since I was already compiling the list, I might as well share it just in case there are others in the area that might benefit as well.

I will most often post this on Wednesdays since that is when the sales ads usually arrive. Most of our area sales run from Wednesday through Tuesday, but a few are Monday through Sunday or Sunday through Saturday. I will try to make note of that for each store.

Also, you will want to note that I am NOT including all specials or sales. I am only including those items that I have found that are truly a good deal and most of them will not include processed food items since I don't buy them and therefore wouldn't know if they were a good deal or not:-)

With all that preliminary said and done, here is this weeks best deals:

Albertsons (Feb 18 - 24)
Bottom Round Roast $1.88/lb
Red Seedless Grapes $0.77/lb
Broccoli $0.77/lb
Large Eggs - 18 count (limit 2) 2 for $3.00
Albertsons 2 lb chunk cheese $5.99
They also have a bunch of Buy 10, save $$ - some of these are good deals, too, so check them out.

Bashas (Feb. 18 -24)
Sanderson Farms Whole Fryers (limit 2) $0.67/lb
London Broil (limit 2) $1.87/lb
Milk (limit 2) $1.58/gal
Angel Soft Bath Tissue 4 pack (limit 3) $0.88
Brawny Paper Towels (limit 3) $0.88
Keebler, Kellogg's or Sunshine Crackers 50% off

Food City (Feb.16-22)
Chicken Leg Quarters (10 lb. bag) $0.39/lb
Food Club Long Grain Rice 2 lb bag $0.99/lb
Green Cabbage 3 lbs./$0.99
Large Tomatoes 3 lbs./$0.99
Avocados 2/$1.00
Maruchan Ramen Noodles 7/$1.00
Jalapenos $0.59/lb
Navel Oranges $0.59/lb
Lemons $0.69/lb
Gala Apples $0.79/lb
Red Bell Peppers 3/$0.99
White Onions 2 lbs/$1.00

Fresh & Easy (Feb. 18 - Mar 3)
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast $1.99/lb
Whole Frying Chicken $0.67/lb
Mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby Jack Cheese $2.50/lb

Fry's (Feb. 18 - 24)
Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast $1.67/lb
Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast B1G1Free
California Cuties (Clementines) 3 lb bag $2.77
1/2 gallon milk $0.88
General Mills Cereal $1.47
Lay's Potato Chips B1G1Free

SafeWay (Feb. 18-24)
Lucerne Milk $1.57/gal
32 oz. Gatorade $0.69
Honeysuckle White Turkey Breast (bone-in) $0.99/lb
Bar S Smoked Sausage Links - 3 lbs $0.99/lb or $2.97
Baby Peeled Carrots 1 lb bag $0.99
Ragu Pasta Sauce $0.99
Red Seedless Grapes $0.68/lb
Navel Oranges $0.68/lb
Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts $1.98/lb
93% lean Ground Beef $1.97/lb ($1.78 at Mesa, Main Street location)
73% lean Ground Beef $1.47/lb

Sprouts (Feb. 18 - 25 double sales on Weds)
Strawberries 2 lbs/$3.00
Navel Oranges 2 lbs/$1.00
Hot House Tomatoes $0.67/lb
Red or Golden Delicious Apples $0.77/lb
Mild Cheddar Cheese $1.99/lb

A Very Crafty Necklace

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I make some beads with Sculpey Clay as part of the unit study we are doing about the Powhatan Indians. We experimented with using the pasta machine and different colors of clay. It was a lot of fun and I ended up with a fantastic necklace that I really enjoy wearing. Go homeschooling!!

A Really Nice Birthday!

Today was my birthday and I just wanted to share what my family did for me. First, my lovely dd made (with a little assistance) an incredible coconut cake completely from scratch (we started with 2 whole coconuts) using Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats! It is SO delicious - I think I will make myself sick eating all this deliciousness!!

My hubby gave me a really cute case/tote for my laptop,and my son gave me fantastic headphones so I can listen/watch things on my laptop. We went out for breakfast at Denny's (you get a free breakfast on your birthday!!) since my hubby had to work, and then we are going to eat cake and watch "Fireproof" when he comes home tonight. All in all, I think it has been a very nice day! And my family is so great to me!!

Birthday Gifts Galore!!

Happy Birthday to me!! Well, not actually until next week, but today I began receiving all my birthday gifts from restaurants! That's right, I can eat all week for free with my free meals from these restaurants! I signed up for these all last fall and today I began receiving them via email. Here are my favorites:
Black Angus (free steak dinner with purchase of an entree - up to $18.99 value!)
LoneStar Steakhouse (Free entree of up to $15.00)
Red Robin (free gourmet Burger of your choice)
Mimi's Cafe ($10 off $20 or more purchase and you'll receive a free breakfast for joining)
Cold Stone (Free Like It Create Your Own Creation)
Old Country Buffet (one free buffet with the purchase of one adult buffet)

I know that there are many more restaurants that offer freebies for your birthday, too. Just check online for your favorites.
That's what works for me, and to check out more great ideas visit Work For Me Wednesday over at Rocks in My Dryer.

Way to Go Steelers!

What a great Super Bowl game! My son and I really enjoyed watching the game and decided that we really are tried and true Steeler fans. Since we live in Phoenix, we were also very excited that the Cardinals went to the Super Bowl, but down deep in our hearts we hoped that the Steelers would win. But we hoped it would be a good and close game, which it surely was! We took alot of ribbing from the folks around here, but the fans here in Phoenix are not as crazy loyal as those Steeler fans in Pittsburgh.

We have been trying to describe to our kids (who did NOT grow up in Pittsburgh like we did) what it is like in Pittsburgh when the Steelers go to the Super Bowl. And others around this area just don't get it when they see the intense loyalty of us Steeler fans:-). I told them it is heritage. The Steelers are a Pittsburgh institution that has been around for more years than any of us can remember and not only that - they are really good at football!!! They are the winningest team in all of Super Bowl history! Now that is a heritage to be proud of:-)